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What is YellowBot?

YellowBot is essentially a local search site for finding and reviewing the places you go to in your community (and elsewhere). As an integral part of the site we are building ways for patrons and business owners to exchange tips and experiences.

Who the heck are you people?

The YellowBot team is a ragtag band of merry pranksters navigating their way through the tubes of this Habitrail we call the Internet. We’ve set our sights on “solving” Local because we just don’t think anybody’s done it right yet. We’ve worked at many of the big and small dotcoms that have receded from view in the rear-view mirror of the proverbial Information Superhighway and finally figured it was time to stop complaining and create Something Useful. Or at least something that we’d like to use ourselves.

But why Local?

Yes, we know, there are sexier things out there in the Land of Unbuilt Websites, but we’re beyond being seduced by the Next Big Idea and would rather spend our time figuring out a way to bring people together.

No really, why Local?

We look at it this way: You live your life in the real world, at least as much as you have to. That’s where your house is, and where the people are who love you, and where you find the food that tastes good and the wine that has yet to be drunk. Oh yeah, and the dry cleaner and the veterinarian and the gas station. Those places are the stage where the story of your life is unfolding. We just want to help you pull it all together a bit more and share it with the world.

Pretty poetic, I’ll bet you were a Liberal Arts major.

Yes, and why weren’t you?

Fine, life’s a beautiful parade and you want us to all dance and sing our way through it, but I really just need to get my clothes fluffed and folded.

Yeah, we know. That’s why we make it easy to find the best (or nearest, or most popular or cheapest) place to do that. Try searching by name, by location, by keyword or by tag.

Sounds complicated.

It’s really not. There’s “What” and there’s “Where”. Chances are, we already have an idea of where for you. If not, your zip code is close enough to start.

So, why should I write reviews for you?

Well, we don’t think of them as reviews, we think of them as stories. You’ve been there, you’ve had an experience, people that you know were there (or else you want them to know what they missed). We just provide the framework for you to do that. Your stories intermingle with the stories of your neighbors, your friends, and people you haven’t met yet. When there are enough stories, a picture of the place emerges.

And to thank us, you’re going to show us ads, aren’t you?

Well, yes we are, it’s how we plan to pay for all of this great stuff we’re going to be doing for you. We know that some (okay most) of you don’t like ads. But they can be useful. And we’re going to try to make them as relevant as we can. Let us know how we’re doing.

But it’s my content. I created it. If I posted this stuff on my own weblog, I could do whatever I want with it.

You’re absolutely right. So what we’re going to do is provide you with tools (like RSS feeds and APIs) so that you can take your content and re-use it wherever you want.

Okay, so there are reviews. Or stories. That kind of makes sense. But what’s with the tags?

Well, think of tags as a way to superimpose your vision on the world. If your favorite pizza place has great spumoni, tag it with “spumoni”. If that gas station on the corner has a great mechanic, tag it with “great mechanic”. If you have twenty restaurants near your office that you frequent, tag them all with “work lunch”. You can search on them. You can see your neighbors’ tags. Think of them like sprinkles on a sundae, but sprinkles which are incredibly nutritious and beautiful.

Sheesh.

Yeah, sorry about that one.

So are tags supposed to be opinions or categories?

Yes.

Fine. But are they supposed to be for me, or for my neighbors, or for perfect strangers?

Yes.

This FAQ is really getting annoying.

It’s because we’re right. And so we come across as a little smug. But we’re serious about this—the tags are for you. You decide how you want to use them. Over the next couple of months we’re going to be rolling out some tools for tagging that will make our vision clearer.

Oh, great. Vaporware. I can hardly wait.

Well, no need to get sarcastic. We’re working as fast as we can. And some things just won’t work until there are more of you out there.

So, it’s all our fault? You guys really have a lot of nerve.

Calm down. Can we just give you our idea for how the next couple of months should go?

Use the site. Find your important places. Let us know what locations are missing and we’ll get them added right away. Write some stories. Tag a bunch of stuff. But most importantly, invite your friends and loved ones to do the same. Populate your online neighborhood. We’re watching to see what features are important to you. And we’ll pay you back with love and kindness. And new functionality.

You’re asking a lot.

Yes, we know. But hopefully you will come to love YellowBot like the little brother you never had. And even if you have a little brother, you will come to love YellowBot more. Sorry, little brother.